No Wipes in the Pipes

THE PROBLEM: Wipes, rags, paper towels, and materials are being flushed into the sewer system, causing serious problems for SASD’s equipment and maintenance crews.

THE SOLUTION: Flush only toilet paper and human waste—nothing else! If you use wipes, trash ‘em, don’t flush ‘em!

Disposable Wipes and Paper Products: Disposable disinfectant wipes, baby wipes, and even so‑called “flushable” wipes cause serious problems for the sewer system, as they do not break down easily (or at all) once they are flushed. Paper products other than toilet paper (e.g., paper towels) also do not break down once in the sewer line. No matter what the label says, don’t flush them, trash them instead.

Increased Maintenance and Costs: When items like these are flushed, our sewer pipes and pump stations require increased monitoring, maintenance, and repair. This results in higher operational costs, which are paid for by your sewer rates.

A Potent Combination: When wipes and other materials interact with food grease or invasive roots in the sewer, they bind together, causing blockages and creating the potential for overflows. Sewer backups can be both messy and costly to clean up.

A Threat to Your Pipes (and Pocketbook), too: If wipes and other materials can clog our large sewer pipes, they can definitely clog your home’s much smaller pipes, requiring you to pay a plumber to clear the blockage.

HELP SPREAD THE WORD: At home, tell your family members to flush only toilet paper, nothing else. At work, you can help by posting notices in bathrooms and other places where paper towels, wipes, or rags might be used or disposed of. Advise people to “Trash ‘em, don’t flush ‘em!”

Just because something can be flushed, doesn’t mean it should be!
Check out Giacomo Luca’s and ABC10’s full coverage on how
flushable wipes are causing big problems for our sewer system.
This problem is completely preventable, and customers are the
answer! Toss those wipes in the trash. Only human waste and
toilet paper should ever be flushed.

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